Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-01-05
BEATING THE HOTELS.
How Professional Doad-Beats Work the
obstetrics OF the National Capital.
National Republican,

How Professional Doad-Beats Work the
obstetrics Of the National Capital
National Republican,
well-dressed young man went into
Wizards Hotel one evening and said he
would take dinner. He registered
''Charles Adams. Chicago" in an easv
hand, and was shown to the dining-half.
When he had satisfied the inner man he
returned TO the Office and said he thought
he would take room, addressing a differ
ent clerk from the one who received him
when he first made his appearance, and
was assigned 10 a room, the clerk not
knowing but his baggage had been sent
up. As he started of the clerk learned
this was not the coSe, and, though know
ing he was without security for his bill,
determined TO risk its payment The next
morning he laid for the guest, but did not
succeed in finding him in his room
until evening when he sent a
"front" up to say that it was a
rule that when no baggage accompa-
MED traveller to settle the board bill in
advance. The polite young man sent word
down that under those circumstances he
would send for his baggage, and while the
message was being carried he skipped by
the light of the moon" 1t wasn't long be
fore all the hotels had been notified of the
presence OF the young man in the city, and
every guest seeking lodging in Washing
ton was scrutinized to discover SINH
larity to the description given.
At about eleven O'Clock in the evening
the easy-going gentleman was transform
ed into a greenhorn in general manner and
appearance and made a call at the Metro
politan. he didn't know that parties ar.
irving signed their names to the register,
and had TO be told just where TO put his
name and the place he came from. He had
evidently never been in a hotel before.
His action told that He asked if friend
he named had got in yet, and,
being answered in the negative
said he would go to the post-of.
flee, and inquired tho way thither. He
came back, and seeing he had been as
signed TO "A room called for key, but the
clerk reminded him that he had not paid
for his lodging, and, as he had no baggage
1t would be necessary for him to do so. In
that case, he said. he would get his traps
and departed for that purpose. He had
registered II. Curtis, Utica, ". W in
rather strained hand, yet one that could
be easily recognized as a near relative Ia
Charles Adams, of Chicago" III Curtis
then went the way of Adams" and ceased
to exist. The ambition of these combined
individuals to secure q lodging burned
with such fervor that from the ashes OF
their disappointed hopes arose, Phoenix
like, IS. l.. Spencer, of Harrisburg" as
was evinced by an individual answer
ing the description of the form
er gentleman, appearing at the National
about an hour later, at the same time
several other guests arrived from a train.
Though Spencer" had no baggage he had
evidently learned that il was a bad article
20 be without before the vision of a hotel
clerk. So he watched one of his fellow
travellers set his sachel down, and edged
his way alongside of it with an air of own
| ership. The clerk saw him, and, noticing
his baggage, didn't care for any money,
and the tired young man was soon tucked
snugly in bed, where he slept until morn
| iugg. when he left abruptly for parts un-
known before any one noticed him. The
| clerk, who was looking hard for Charles
Adams, of whom he had been notified, has
| awakened 10 the fact that Transformation
scene has taken place with that person,
whom he had the honor OF lodging for the
night under another name.
Don't you learn to detect them by OK
periencer' asked a reporter of one of tho
/ clerks who figured in the little episode OF
| Messrs. Adams, Curtis and Spencer.
"Yes; but we will be caught sometimes
/ They usually come in and, after register
| ing, keep out OF our way by visiting tho
/ water cooler or some similar ruse unit
they are roomed. Then they hasten up anG
call for their key by giving their number
! and dart of for their room. We usually
can tell them by their general appearance
but the dead-beat will get in his work OF
! the cutest of US sometimes"
What can you do with them if they art
caughtr'
Nothing. They come, ask for room
and get il; that's all there is to it. Their,
is no penalty attached to such method o.
| getting bed"